Yet another reason why our spudtacular potatoes are an important part of a healthy balanced diet:

Collectively Potatoes, Tomatoes and Mushrooms are the 3 top sellers in the NZ, making up over 50% of the vegetable market. The start of spring brings us the best of New Zealand’s most loved and wanted vegetables.

We know a tomato is technically a fruit, and a mushroom is a fungi, but in everyday use, and how they are prepared and eaten, these guys are definitely vegetables!

Very different and very versatile, Superstars have 3 distinctly different tastes, textures and looks. They can be prepared  in a multitude of ways from salads to soups, mashes to roasts for breakfast, snacks, lunch or dinner; any time of year! Their wonderful combination of taste and colour mean you can play it safe or introduce a range of new flavours and still guarantee that your family will love them.

We have put together a range of recipe ideas for you and your family to enjoy any time of day! But experiment yourself, get creative and play around with your own combination of the superstars. Share your ideas with us on Facebook and keep an eye out in your local supermarket for our Superstar support.

Individually they have an excellent nutrient profile, so when these three are combined they are a nutritional powerhouse. The dynamic trio of 1 potato + 1 tomato + 3 mushrooms covers a wide range of the nutrients including vitamin C, B-group vitamins, protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, fibre and antioxidants. You name it – they’ve got it covered.

There is no doubt about it New Zealanders are avid potato-lovers. Kiwi Chefs know that by including potato dishes on their menu, means happy customers. Chef Simon Green, from The Sebel Trinity Wharf in Tauranga took a few moments out of his busy schedule to share his favourite potato recipe and stories with us.

After 25 years working as a Chef, Simon has been Executive Chef at The Halo Restaurant at The Sebel Trinity Wharf in Tauranga for the last 18 months. His fondest potato memories were as a little boy enjoying Potato, ham and cheese croquettes hand made by his mum. Despite being a well-acclaimed Chef, he is still your typical kiwi, and loves to eat Fish and Chips from paper on Mount Maunganui Beach while watching the sun go down.

We agree with Simon that it is potatoes versatility that makes them so great. “They can be cooked virtually any way, and with so many different varieties.” Says Simon. He knows how important they are to have on a menu, due to being the most versatile of all the starch/carbohydrate ingredients. The Gratin Dauphinois is the most popular potato dish served at The Halo Restaurant, and is served with the Eye and Scotch Fillet Steaks. This specialty dish comes from the Dauphine region of France and consists of thinly sliced potatoes layered in a baking dish with cream/milk and a flavoursome cheese.

Simon has kindly shared the recipe for this delicious Potato Rosti which features on his Halo menu and in the image below. But he also has a handy-tip to share with us about preparing potatoes at home in the kitchen. “Thicken soups with diced potato not flour to keep them light and keep the flavour”.

We know that spuds are satisfying, value for money and full of nutrients, they even get the tick of approval from professionals! So no matter who you are and where you cook there is always a place for potatoes on your plate!

Chef Paul Robinson, School of Food & Hospitality Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

I would like to give some feedback on the fabulous editorial piece in Fresh Inspiration based around the very successful Vegetable Forum. (Make sure you download your copy Fresh Inspiration ) Great visuals with all the chef tutors who attended and awesome information which included the vegetable forum lunch at Bracu.

This was such an awesome experience for all concerned. Such a very well organised day which provided all the visiting chefs, chef tutors and CPIT Toque d’Or Cookery students a great first hand learning experience and an inspired look  into the  growing of quality New Zealand vegetable produce.

The produce in this prolific area is indeed first class. The passion shared by  great people like Howe Young for the local growers and Shane Balle from Balle Bros in Pukekohe is surely what it is all about. Especially for the large number of modern chefs who now want to know where their food is grown.

As a chef tutor I am lucky enough work along side a passionate group of training professionals here at the Christchurch Poytechnic Institute of Technology, and we are incorporating some of our fine Quality NZ vegetable produce into our new Diploma in Professional Cookery (level 5)

Balle Bros grow an impressive range of seasonal potatoes and quality onions, so to remember our visit I have followed up with a modern reconstruction of one of the most flavoursome of many classic potato dishes.

“Pomme Berrichonne “can be found in the first edition of “Le Repertoire de la Cuisine ” a world renowned classic used by cooking professionals and food experts alike. (more…)